KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a joint air defence system with European allies following Russia’s overnight drone attack that violated Polish airspace.
Zelensky accused Russia of deliberately targeting Poland by flying drones through its territory during the latest barrage aimed at Ukraine.
Poland confirmed it had shot down several Russian drones originally fired toward Ukraine, drawing widespread condemnation from NATO allies.
The Ukrainian president stated that Ukraine had long proposed creating a combined air defence system to intercept drones and missiles through shared resources.
Russia has launched tens of thousands of drone attacks throughout the three-year war, escalating aerial assaults as peace negotiations have stalled.
Zelensky described the airspace violation as a dangerous precedent for Europe and insisted it was not accidental.
He noted that while individual drones had previously crossed borders briefly, this incident involved larger scale and deliberate targeting.
The Ukrainian leader urged allies to deliver a strong response to what he called an attempt to humiliate Poland, an EU and NATO member.
Zelensky emphasised that Russia must face clear consequences from all partners for this escalatory step.
Kyiv continues to push Washington and Brussels for stronger sanctions to cripple Russia’s ability to attack Ukraine. – AFP